ens! ... you'll have a hundred million or so to
give away when you've disendowed.

TREBELL. Not to give away. I'll sell every penny.

WEDGECROFT. [_With an incredulous grin._] You're not going back to extending
old-age pensions after turning the unfortunate Liberals out on it, are you?

TREBELL. No, no ... none of your half crown measures. They can wait to round
off their solution of that till they've the courage to make one big bite of
it.

WEDGECROFT. We shan't see the day.

TREBELL. [_Lifting the subject off its feet._] Not if I come out of the
cabinet and preach revolution?

WEDGECROFT. Or will they make a Tory of you?

TREBELL. [_Acknowledging that stroke with a return grin._] It'll be said
they have when the bill is out.

WEDGECROFT. It's said so already.

TREBELL. Who knows a radical bill when he sees it!

WEDGECROFT. I'm not pleased you have to be running a tilt against the party
system. [_He becomes a little dubious._] My friend ... it's a nasty
windmill. Oh, you've not seen that article in the Nation on Politics and
Society ... it's written at Mrs. Farrant and Lady Lurgashall and that set.
They hint that the Tories would never have had you if it hadn't been for
this bad habit of opposite party men meeting each other.

TREBELL. [_Unimpressed._] Excellent habit! What we really want in this
country is a coalition of all the shibboleths with the rest of us in
opposition ... for five years only.

WEDGECROFT. [_Smiling generously._] Well, it's a sensation to see you become
arbiter. The Tories are owning they can't do without you. Percival likes you
personally ... Townsend don't matter ... Cantelupe you buy with a price, I
suppose ... Farrant you can put in your pocket. I tell you I think the man
you may run up against is Blackborough.

TREBELL. No, all he wants is to be let look big ... and to have an idea
given him when he's going to make a speech, which isn't often.

WEDGECROFT. Otherwise ... I suppose ... now I may go down to history as
having been in your confidence. I'm very glad you've arrived.

TREBELL. [_With great seriousness._] I've sharpened myself as a weapon to
this purpose.

WEDGECROFT. [_Kindly._] And you're sure of yourself, aren't you?

TREBELL. [_Turning his wrist._] Try.

WEDGECROFT. [_Slipping his doctor's fingers over the the pulse._] Seventy, I
should say.

TREBELL. I promise you it hasn't varied a beat these three big months.

WEDGECROFT. Well, I wish it had. Perfect ba